Why You Need CEO Peers To Challenge Your Assumptions
As a CEO and business owner, I needed more perspective. I felt isolated at the top.
Even worse, no one was challenging my assumptions. Advice was everywhere - and always had an agenda attached.
I knew this: What I was doing was not producing the growth I wanted. Something had to change.
I needed someone to question my answers.
I gathered with a dozen business owners — a CEO peer group here in Columbus, Ohio. We met confidentially to share experiences and insights. We described our challenges and opportunities — and greatly benefited from each other’s agenda-free recommendations. We learned, as Daniel Joseph Boorstin said: “The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance. It is the illusion of knowledge.”
The results were substantial: my company became more professionally managed, process driven and — when I was ready — sellable.
This experience also improved my life beyond business. Held accountable by my peers, I allocated my time better. I stopped doing other people’s work. I was able to get home earlier.
Life got better.
Want to grow — personally as well as professionally? Feeling “isolated at the top?”
I convene monthly meetings of business leaders, meet individually with members, and bring in speakers (on topics of management and beyond). Two groups are for business owners, CEOs and executive directors; one group is for key executives (who report to CEOs); a fourth group is for CEO's in e-commerce.
To amplify my coaching and facilitation, I am affiliated with Vistage International. My Vistage groups have access to the resources and knowledge of the world’s leading chief executive organization with 21,000 members around the world and enough alumni to crowd the YUM Center.
Are you right for my groups?
Here are the minimum qualifications.
Two of my Vistage CEO peer groups are for leaders who run companies with annual revenues of $1M+, are facing the challenges and opportunities that come with growth and success, and want to share experiences and be held accountable by peers.
One additional CEO peer group is for leaders of e-commerce businesses.
My Key Executive peer group is for executives who report directly to a CEO, are being groomed for the CEO position at companies with annual revenues of $1M+, and want to share experiences and be held accountable by peers.
Qualitatively, I admit people who: are smart, ambitious, and successful, are trusting and trustworthy, are earnest, but don’t take themselves too seriously, are kind-hearted, play the big game — are willing to bring their biggest challenges, can engage — show up on time, focus (no cell phones), lean in, will confront their peers kindly, and are experienced enough to know they need to change — and energetic enough to do it.
My groups are for “A” Players.